Jain Journal 1985 07

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 16

JULY, 1985
Outside the village towards the river in the slope of an absolute flattopped hill Garh Dema (Garh Digambar) there is an ancient temple without deity made of stone with inscription (Brahmi script) inside it. And close to this there is a Siva temple reconstructed by villagers on the ruins of a structure. The Siva is known as Siddhinath. It appears to us that this Siva temple of Siddhinath have been reconstructed on the ruins of the Yaksa temple referred by Bhadrabahu. The other existing temple with stone inscription and without deity was probably constructed by the Jainas of later age. The land in between the temple and river is called Samapur. It is not a village but agricultural land which reminds us of Samaga (Samapur-House of Sama). The village to the northern side of the river is called Kasta which reminds one of the Kastakarana of Samaga. Once this Kasta became famous for its Kasta Sangha of Sinhasena.
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Quite a few numbers of most important objects which have been detected by the present authors require immediate intervension of the Archaeological Dept. for preservation. Out of these the most interesting one is a lion-headed pillar, unique of its kind in India and is symbol of Lord Mahavira. On this pillar some Ajoy Pala inscribed the image of Hanumana Mahavira of Ramayana to convert the Jaina relic into Brahmanic relic. Arround this pillar there are ruins of many structures which require excavation. There are two simetrical stone pillars which are the earliest of all the relics of Jamagrama.
On the flat top of the long hill of Garh Digambar, one broken lion image is worshipped with animal sacrifice and is known as Siva Kandesvara. Probably Kundanesvara Mahavira had been converted to Kandesvara Siva.
This hill which seems to be once a monastary has been named Garh Digambara after the Acarya Agarh Digambar.
At the eastern end of Jamagrama there is a big tank called Nemibandh probably named after 23rd Tirthankara Neminatha.
From Jaina literature it is known that after attaining kevala-knowledge the Lord delivered his first sermon to gods alone for which no one was benefitted by taking initiation in Sramanahood. This incident is referred in Jaina literature as Achera, something unheard of. It is interesting that there is a village called Anchera at a distance of about 5 miles west of Jamagrama which is mostly populated by the Sravakas. Then the Lord travelled to Majjhima-Pava in one night through Jhammani.